Unless the electors give them a raise at the annual meeting March 29, Addison Township board members’ salaries for the 2003-04 fiscal year will remain the same as they were for 2002-03
The Addison Township Board unanimously approved three resolutions Monday night setting the supervisor, clerk and treasurer’s annual salaries including benefits at $39,827 each, which represents no increase.
Included in the clerk’s resolution was the addition of $16,100, which is the amount the clerk is compensated for performing the services and duties related to land development such as being the “contact person” for residents and developers with inquiries, processing applications and coordinating them for the planning commission and/or township board, compiling planning commission board packets, attending planning commission and zoning board of appeals meetings when a land development application is before them, etc.
The township board voted in November 2002 to give the Clerk Pauline Bennett this additional job and compensation based on her “10 years experience in administering land development issues and requirements,” and the fact that hiring additional personnel to oversee this area could cost more money.
Bennett’s total salary including benefits for clerk and land development duties was set at $55,927.
Board members Monday also unanimously approved a resolution setting the trustees’ pay at $100 for regular meetings, $75 for special meetings, $125 for combined sessions and $50 for board approved or appointed meetings. The trustees’ pay was also not increased.
State law requires Addison, which is a general law township, to pass resolutions setting the elected officials’ salaries for the upcoming fiscal year at least 30 days prior to the township’s annual meeting.
The township board voted Monday to hold this year’s annual meeting at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 29.
Township electors (residents who are at least 18 years old, United States citizens and have lived in the township for at least 30 days) attending the annual meeting can vote on the elected officials’ salaries, if they wish to do so.
Bennett said electors have the authority to adopt the salaries as stated in the resolutions, increase them or eliminate proposed raises. However, they cannot vote to reduce the salaries from the previous year’s amount, she said.
Supervisor Bob Koski said the annual meeting is an “optional” township function, which Addison chooses to continue as a matter of tradition and in the interest of garnering resident input.
“Historically, it’s always been a chance for residents to address the board and see the budget,” he said.
The annual meeting gives residents the opportunity to review, question, comment on and recommend changes to the proposed 2003-04 township budget, and, if they wish, vote on it, Koski said.
“They often make a motion approving the budget,” he said of past annual meetings.
However, he noted that the township board has the final legal authority over the budget’s approval so the annual meeting really constitutes an “advisory session” and the electors’ vote is a recommendation.
“The annual meeting used to be far more powerful then it is today,” Koski said, noting that adoption of the township budget was previously a decision made directly by the electors at the annual meeting. “Now (the electors) can make certain motions, but they’re not binding. We do listen to what they have to say and sometimes they have really good ideas.”
The only binding motions the electors can make and approve at the annual meeting are those concerning the elected officials’ salaries, Koski said.
Koski said the annual meeting is also an opportunity for residents to discuss, and possibly vote on, any other issues that are on their minds.
“It let’s us know what they’re thinking,” he said.
Immediately following the annual meeting, the township board will conduct a public hearing on the 2003-04 budget and a “truth in taxation” hearing concerning the millage rates the township will be levying for 2003-04.
Following the public hearings, the board is expected to approve the budget and set the millage rates.